ANT – Autonome Neerwaartse Trend

assignment/short description

The ANT study started in 2009 and will finalise in 2013 with an advice on realistic goals for the Natura 2000 areas Lake IJsselmeer and Lake Markermeer/IJmeer. The Ministry of EL&I will use this advice to evaluate the present Natura 2000 goals for these lakes. The Borderlakes, partly in open connection with Lake IJsselmeer or Lake Markermeer/IJmeer and of the same origin, are often included in the analysis for comparison. However, their bird numbers did not decline. If applicable, the Borderlakes are included to better understand the ecological processes in Lake IJsselmeer and Lake Markermeer/IJmeer.

Compared to Lake IJsselmeer, the ecology in Lake Markermeer has to deal with additional local pressures like high suspended silt load and plans to expand the cities of Amsterdam and Almere outside the dikes, in parts of the lake (IJmeer). For this reason a Future-Resistant-Ecological-System Markermeer and IJmeer (TBES) is being developed, with help of a practical research programme (Natural Markermeer-IJmeer, NMIJ). In this programme a complex of measures like creating sheltered areas, land-water interaction with large swamps, improvement of connections with adjacent waters etc. is designed. This programme will result in a final advice on the establishment of this TBES in 2015. Untill then, ANT and NMIJ will both issue a preliminary advice each year, on the basis of a limited number of “future images” for design and management.

ANT is carried out in close cooperation with TBES/NMIJ and with help of “Building with Nature”, which also carries out other related projects (“Ecoshape”). The ANT consortium is lead by Deltares and also includes the University of Wageningen (WUR Dept. Aquatic Ecology and Waterquality Management), NIOO-KNAW (Dept. Aquatic Ecology), WUR Imares (Dept. Ecology) and IVM ANT also uses data from monitoring programmes of Rijkswaterstaat Waterdienst and Dienst IJsselmeergebied, including birds, fish (with Imares), bentos (bivalves), aquatic macrophytes, plankton and water quality.